Lab tests
HbA1c and glucose test explainer
HbA1c is reported in two different units depending on the country and laboratory, sometimes both on the same page, alongside glucose results in their own units. Add your report below to see which number is which.
Explain your HbA1c and glucose test
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- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
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What you get
- HbA1c shown in the units your report uses, with both explained if both appear.
- Fasting, random or two-hour glucose results on separate rows.
- The categories or ranges printed on your report restated plainly.
- Questions to ask at your next appointment.
Lines you may see
- HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin)Reflects average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months
- HbA1c in percent (%) and in mmol/molThe same result on two different scales
- Estimated average glucose (eAG)A figure calculated from the HbA1c
- Fasting plasma glucoseBlood sugar after not eating for several hours
- Oral glucose tolerance testBlood sugar measured before and two hours after a sugary drink
What this tool cannot tell you
HbA1c depends on red blood cells, so conditions that affect them, including some types of anemia and pregnancy, can make it less reliable. Diagnostic thresholds and personal targets are set by clinicians and guidelines, not by a single report. MedicDecode explains the numbers. It does not diagnose diabetes or suggest targets.
Common questions
Why does my report show two HbA1c numbers?
They are the same result in two units. The percentage is the older and still widely used scale; mmol/mol is the international one.
What is estimated average glucose?
It is a conversion of HbA1c into the same units as a glucose meter, calculated with a standard formula. It is an estimate, not a separate measurement.
Will it tell me if I have diabetes or prediabetes?
No. It restates any category your report prints, but a diagnosis is made by a clinician, often after a repeat test.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- HbA1c
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months by measuring how much sugar is attached to red blood cells.
- ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
ALT is an enzyme found mainly in the liver; when liver cells are irritated or damaged, more ALT leaks into the blood.
- AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles, heart and other tissues; raised levels can signal stress or damage in one of these.
- Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when old red blood cells break down; the liver processes it so it can leave the body.
- Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity that the kidneys filter out, so its blood level helps show how well the kidneys work.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises quickly when there is inflammation or infection in the body.
- Culture and Sensitivity
A culture and sensitivity test grows germs from a sample to identify them, then checks which antibiotics can stop them.
- eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood, calculated from a creatinine blood test plus details like age.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
ESR measures how fast red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour; a faster rate can be a general sign of inflammation.
- Fasting Sample
A fasting sample is blood taken after you have had nothing to eat or drink except water for a set number of hours.
- Ferritin
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron; its blood level gives a good idea of how much iron the body has in reserve.
Medicines connected to this test
Their official labels mention this kind of test. Each is explained in plain English.
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Empagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a prescription medicine that works on sugar handling in the kidneys
- Glimepiride
a sulfonylurea, a type of oral medicine used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Glipizide
a blood-sugar-lowering medicine of the sulfonylurea type
- Insulin Glargine
an insulin analog, a long-acting man-made insulin used to treat diabetes
- Liraglutide
a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of medicine that acts like a natural gut hormone called GLP-1 to help lower blood sugar
- Losartan Potassium
an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), a type of medicine used to lower blood pressure
- Metformin
a diabetes medicine of the biguanide type